Outdoor warning devices

Oklahoma City has 182 tornado warning sirens located across Oklahoma,
Canadian and Cleveland counties. The sirens are activated in each county for
which the National Weather Service has issued a tornado warning.

The sirens are reactivated each time the National Weather Service issues a new tornado warning, so they may sound more than once. No “all clear” signal is given when the threat has passed.

The siren is your cue to turn on your television, radio or all-hazards alert weather radio to get information about the storm’s location and proper protective actions. Citizens are encouraged to monitor weather conditions until the threat has passed.

Oklahoma City offers emergency alerts to people with hearing and
vision disabilities

Oklahoma City residents with hearing disabilities, blindness and vision
impairments can subscribe to get disaster information by text and email
alerts at okc.ahasalerts.com.
The subscriber-based service is free to Oklahoma City residents. The alert
messages include information about the emergency and what actions to take.
It is designed to respond primarily to “threat to life and property” events.

Signs of a Tornado

Strong, persistent rotation in the cloud base.

Whirling dust and or debris on ground underneath cloud base.

Tornadoes do not always have visible funnels – can be rain wrapped.

Hail or heavy rain followed by either absolute calm or extreme wind
shift.

Mobile Homes are not safe shelters; you should make plans before the storm arrives to get to a pre-planned shelter.

Apartment dwellers should have a plan in place to get to an apartment on the lowest level of the complex and take the basic tornado safety guidelines.

Do not attempt to outrun tornado in your automobile, seek shelter inside a nearby building.

If stranded outside lie down in a low lying area away from the vehicle, but remain aware of possible flash flooding.

Do not seek shelter underneath a bridge or overpass.

Do not seek shelter in drainage systems, culverts or ditches due to
possible flash flooding.

Shelter-in-place safest plan during tornado warnings
Public advised against traveling to shelters

Shelter-in-place: that’s the recommendation of Oklahoma City Emergency Management whose advice to people is to shelter-in-place during tornado warnings.

Shelter-in-place means to take shelter where you are, remaining inside your home, workplace or a nearby building. Most homes provide adequate protection from 98 percent of Oklahoma’s tornados. People who live in trailers or manufactured homes should have a plan to seek shelter in a well- constructed building nearby.

An interior hallway or room without exterior windows and doors on the lowest level of your house is typically the safest place to be during a tornado. If you have a bicycle helmet, or any type of helmet, put it on. Make sure to wear sturdy shoes when you take cover. Shoes will protect your feet if you need to walk through debris.

People who live on the upper level of an apartment building should seek shelter in an apartment on the lowest level of the complex.

Your vehicle is one of the most dangerous places to be during a tornado. Find a business to shelter in. Never seek shelter underneath a bridge or overpass. If you are stranded outside, lie down in a ditch or low lying area away from your vehicle.

Personal preparedness limits risk and anxiety. The best thing residents can do to protect themselves against the impact of a tornado is install a safe room or storm shelter in their homes. These shelters are designed to give protection from the forces of extreme winds as high as 250 miles per hour.

Having a personal plan and staying informed are the two most critical elements in staying safe during severe weather.

Why doesn't Oklahoma City have public
shelters?

The decision to not identify public storm shelters is not an easy one to
make, but the overwhelming contradicting information is more than can be
ignored. The rationale behind the decisions to not designate public
buildings as storm shelters is outlined below.

Traveling to a Shelter One of the biggest challenges with public storm shelters is that citizens must travel to a distant location during a severe
weather event, exposing them to the very hazard they are attempting to
avoid. Vehicles are NEVER a safe place during significant severe weather
events. A significant number of tornado related deaths are attributed to
being in a vehicle. On the other hand, standard residential construction
(manufactured housing excluded) typically provides survivable protection for
98 percent of the tornados we experience in Oklahoma. IF those potentially
impacted seek shelter early by moving to the lowest possible level in a
small interior room or closet away from exterior openings such as doors or
windows. The exceptions to this recommendation are those living in mobile
homes and many manufactured structures. Those living in mobile homes and
many manufactured structures MUST take shelter in a safe room or personal
storm shelter (discussed below) or travel to a safer location well in
advance of the storm’s arrival. Well constructed residential safe rooms or
personal storm shelters provide the BEST protection against the impact of
tornadoes, including those considered as extremely violent. These types of
personal shelters provide the same, if not greater, protection than public
storm shelters without the travel risk and other issues.

Shelter Capacity
Most local jurisdictions simply do not have access to enough readily
available and functionally feasible sheltering locations to accommodate even
a reasonably small percentage of their population. This often leads to
people traveling to a public storm shelter site only to find the shelter is
full putting themselves and their families at greater risk. Public storm
shelters are not designed to protect thousands of citizens. If a
jurisdiction were to try to construct and maintain sufficient space to
protect even a majority of its population, the costs would be prohibitive.

Shelter Availability
The shelters may not always be open. In many instances, if they exist, local
public storm shelters are either unstaffed or staffed by volunteers,
volunteers that may not always be available. In other words, there might not
be anyone available to open and manage the shelter. Even those shelters
intended to be opened and operated by paid personnel may not always be open
if those people are unavailable.

Shelter Construction
The shelter construction standards have evolved over the last several years
as a result of thorough engineering tests. Many facilities designated as
shelters in the past no longer meet the current FEMA shelter construction
standards, nor do they meet the current Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA) compliance standards. Concerns of not providing adequate/ safe
shelters also apply to well-meaning private property owners that offer their
structures as shelters.

Shelter Rules, Risks and Liabilities
Many jurisdictions have determined that the risks and liabilities associated
with providing and operating public storm shelters out-weigh the potential
benefit; particularly when viewed with other factors including those listed
above.

What is a tornado watch?

Issued to specific Counties by the National Weather Service.

Means that the possibility of Tornados exist in your County.

Remain weather alert for approaching severe weather.

Spread the word to family, friends and co-workers.

Turn on local TV, radio or NOAA Weather Radio and stay alert for
warnings.

What is a tornado warning?

Issued to specific Counties by the National Weather Service (NWS)

Means a tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar in your
County

Outdoor warning devices will sound if a tornado warning has been
issued

Immediately seek shelter in your pre-designated place of safety

Oklahoma City Outdoor Warning Devices will sound in County(s)
designated by NWS

Turn on local TV, radio or NOAA Weather Radio and stay alert for
further information / instruction

What to do after a tornado

Keep family and pets together and wait for Emergency Personnel to arrive.

Continue to monitor local TV, radio and or NOAA Weather Radio and stay alert for further information / instruction.

Watch out for fallen power lines and be aware of broken gas lines.

Stay out of damaged buildings.

If you are away from home, return only when authorities say it is safe to do so.

To keep your companion animals safe during disasters we recommend
planning ahead. Listed below are some tips to consider as part of your
planning process:

Create a plan that includes your pets and make sure everyone in the
home is aware of individual expectations, communication and meeting
locations.

Always keep a collar and tag on pets that should normally wear a
collar. Include your name, phone number and email on the tag and write
it with permanent ink on the inside of the collar. We also recommend a
form of permanent identification such as a microchip or tattoo for all
animals.

Create a disaster bag for your pet. It should include a copy of your
pet’s medical records, a picture of your pet, copies of your pet’s
identifications, at least a two week supply of food, bottled water, any
medication, leash, bowls, bedding, litter/box, cleaning supplies and a
carrier/crate to transport your pet. Keep this bag in a location that is
easy to access.

Identify several possible locations you can take your animals should
you have to evacuate. This should include friends and hotels that would
allow you and your pet.

Start a buddy system with your neighbors to check on each other’s
pets if you are not home after a disaster.

Make sure your pet is free of disease and up-to-date on vaccinations
so it will be accepted into a facility if evacuated.

Know the phone number and address of the animal shelter so you can
find out about temporary evacuation locations for your pet or know where
to go if you lost your pet during a disaster. Oklahoma City’s Animal
Shelter, 2811 SE 29; (405) 297-3100.